Why we serve: From African refugee to US soldier [Image 10 of 10]

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, AFGHANISTAN

06.14.2012

Spc. Alfred Kollie escaped civil war in Liberia and more than eight years in a refugee camp to become a U.S. soldier with Task Force Wolfpack, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, on Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan. "I had to take a chance," said Kollie. "Life is life and stuff happens, but I wasn't going to change anything unless I took a chance. When I told the recruiter where I was from, he asked whether I was willing to go back to war, because that's where I was headed."